U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,369,406; 3,646,816 and 3,805,621 are considered representative of the prior art. Numerous devices for collecting samples from a bath of molten metal have been proposed heretofore. One of the problems involved in such devices is the uneven distribution of a deoxidizing agent in the sample.
It is common to provide a deoxidizing agent, such as aluminum in the shape of wire or a tube, along the entrance of or in a sampling device for contact with the molten metal sample. When the molten metal enters the sampling device, the deoxidizing agent is almost immediately melted away so as to result in the initial portion of the sample being deoxidized whereas the last portion of the sample to enter the chamber has virtually no deoxidation.
Another problem involved in using prior art devices relates to a loss of the sample when the sampling device is withdrawn from the bath. In this regard, the entrance to the sampling chamber is below the sampling chamber and the sampling device is upright when introduced into the molten bath. Thus, it has been noted that withdrawal of the sampling device from the bath results in a portion of the sample returning to the bath. Another problem with the prior art relates to disassembly of the components to attain access to the specimen. The above and other disadvantages of the prior art are solved by the present invention.